Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the growth of UK semiconductor companies developing hardware-based cyber security technologies and the creation of high-skilled engineering jobs.

The Government is supporting the growth of the UK semiconductor sector, including the development of hardware-based cyber security technologies, through support across innovation, skills, procurement and investment. The £1.1 billion AI Hardware Plan includes an £18 million Hardware Security R&D Programme to strengthen the secure deployment and scaling of AI hardware. The Government is also supporting UK strengths in secure-by-design technologies, including the commercialisation of CHERI. Alongside this, the Government is investing £80 million in semiconductor and AI hardware skills, expanding training and career pathways to help build the pipeline of engineers and researchers needed for companies to develop these technologies.